Binyamin Netanyahu’s party has come out on top in Israel’s election

NEVER COUNT out Binyamin Netanyahu. For the past three decades that has been the cardinal rule of Israeli politics. And it was reinforced on March 2nd, when the 70-year-old prime minister pulled off another electoral feat. Mr Netanyahu’s party, Likud, has won the most seats (36) in Israel’s parliamentary election—the third in less than a year. But his coalition of nationalist and religious parties is three seats short of a majority in the 120-member Knesset (parliament).The previous two ballots, in April and September last year, failed to produce a government. There is no guarantee that this one will either. But Mr Netanyahu has momentum. When Likud was overtaken by Blue and White, its main rival, as the largest party in September, some wrote Mr Netanyahu’s political obituary. More earth was shovelled into his grave when, in November, the attorney-general indicted him for bribery and fraud. Mr Netanyahu, though, hung on, denying any wrongdoing. In December he soundly defeated a challenge to his leadership of Likud. Then he launched a blistering re-election campaign.